Pack your petrol money away folks because in less than a week we’ll no longer have to head down the range to get our hands on some of the best brands around.
Grand Central is flinging open the doors of Stage 1 – the retail galleria – on Thursday 15 September. Here’s a little run down of all you need to know.
What’s coming in Stage 1 and when?
Stage 1 is the two-level retail galleria that links the current centre to the redevelopment. It extends over Dent Street and eventually, in 2017 will extend over Victoria Street.
This stage is all about contemporary fashion, and its opening has been brought forward so we can get our hands on all this fashion goodness sooner rather than later.
Artist’s impression of the retail galleria
The retail galleria will progressively open between September 15 and Christmas. Over 40 stores will open in this stage, with most of them coming online this month. So far, we’ve had 26 brand announcements, including the massive news that global brand H&M is coming.
Here are the brands coming to the retail galleria.
H&M
Spanning approximately 2,400 square metres and set over two levels; the store will showcase apparel, underwear and accessories for women, men, kids and baby.
Seed Heritage
They came to Myer and now we’re getting a standalone shop. Seed does smart, simple and stylish apparel and accessories for women, teen and children.
Country Road
For 40 years Country Road has been a leading Australian fashion retailer. They’re opening just in time to bring their fresh and relaxed Spring line to Toowoomba.
Trenery
New to Toowoomba, Trenery offers clothing, accessories and footwear collections that are modern and understated.
Seed Heritage
Forever New
Girly and feminine is Forever New’s signature style. This fashion and accessories brand was founded in Melbourne – yay for Aussie brands!
Dissh
Bringing the boho, party dresses and accessories, Dissh is all about empowering girls to look and feel confident.
Ally Fashion
Shopping shouldn’t mean emptying your purse for a single item. Ally was created with this in mind and provides fashion forward threads without the heavy price tag.
Betts
Helping Australians step out in style with quality footwear since 1892.
Bardot
Established in 1996, Bardot lasted way longer than the band, and is still providing women seasonal trends and style classics.
Top left: Swarovski, top right: Forever New, bottom right: Mimco, bottom left: Betts
Witchery
We know Witchery. It prides itself on ahead-of-the-curve style, and will bring fashion for women and men.
Sportscraft
Sportscraft are bringing a standalone store to Toowoomba for the first time to showcase their full range of women’s and men’s fashion and accessories.
Wittner
There’s simply not enough shoes in Toowoomba. The arrival of Wittner, which designs and makes high quality footwear will fill that shoe shaped hole in our hearts.
kikki.K
Never have to wonder what to get for Secret Santa again. A gift from this Swedish stationery range will always delight (any time of year).
kikki.K heading to Grand Central to keep us organised
Hype DC
Sweet shoes for men and women.
Universal Store
Street fashion featuring premium brands from both Australia and overseas.
Platypus
A smorgasbord of sneakers. Do we need to say more than that?
Rockwear
Lunge or lounge in Rockwear’s activewear.
Peter Jackson
Australian menswear brand bridging the gap between affordable fashion and luxury garments.
Rodd & Gunn
Classic menswear that’s built to last.
Johnny Bigg
Created with the big and tall guy in mind, provides affordable every day fashion.
Left: Peter Jackson, top: Rodd & Gunn, bottom: Johnny Bigg
Swarovski
All the sparkle! Premier crystal designs that have been sparkling since 1895.
Napoleon Perdis
Cult products ready to jump into your make up bag.
MECCA Maxima
Beauty heaven. Brands include Smashbox, Too Faced, NARS, Urban Decay and Hourglass.
Mimco
Luxury materials and a collection of leather goods and handbags that are designed for individuals drawn to something different.
Surf Dive ‘n Ski
It’s exactly what the name says. Bringing surf, skate, street and snow wear, including brands like Billabong, Rusty, Seafolly, Havaianas, Vans, Volcom and more.
MECCA Maxima
Esprit
All about authentic, easygoing living, Esprit will bring their first freestanding store to Toowoomba, offering a range of womenswear and lifestyle products.
The retail galleria features some pretty rockin’ skylights, lots of natural material like stone and brick and generous shop heights to create a sense of space. And have you noticed these aesthetics are being continued through the existing centre?
Work has been happening at night to create cohesion between the operational centre and the development. Existing shopfronts are being raised to align with the profiles of the new galleria stores. Other work includes upgrades to the amenities, floor terrazzo, lift upgrades and lighting.
What about Stage 2?
Due to open in the first half of 2017, Stage 2 is when the big stuff happens.
Another 140 retailers will join the line up including Kmart, Big W and Woolworths.
It will also include a fresh food precinct with a market-style atmosphere, a community leisure space and another dining precinct over looking the leisure space.
It’ll break down like this:
- Ground level: Kmart, restaurants, cafes and community leisure space
- Level one: fashion, beauty, homewares, Woolworths and the market precinct
- Level two: fashion, beauty and Big W
Whew. Do you need a drink with a little umbrella after getting through all of that?
Artist’s impression of the outside of the centre on the corner of Margaret and Victoria streets
What else?
Along with all this extra shopping comes extra parking and some brand spankin’ new technology. This includes ticketless entry that uses licence plate recognition and LED car space indicators and electronic display boards to help you find a park.
Payment for parking kicks in only after three hours, when rates start at $2 and caps at $20. Going to the movies? You can get your parking validated and if you spend over $150 in the centre you can also receive free parking.
Finally, about 1000 local retail and hospitality jobs are expected to be created once the centre is completely opened in 2017.
Want to know more?
You can keep reading Toowoomba Living. That’s step one. Also, you can visit grandcentralshopping.com.au
Feature image: artist’s impression of community leisure space coming in 2017
All images courtesy of Grand Central.
As much as the new centre looks amazing, what is being done to integrate the style to the old Grand Central. Trendy new modern metal & timber finishes clash with the original render finish making the entire complex an eyesore in the centre of the city. Will the old centre be given an exterior facelift?
Hi Lisa – No idea if there are plans to give the exterior of the existing centre a facelift, but I’ll let you know if I hear of this.